Sun Belt football coaches pick Florida International to win the conference

Mario Cristobal’s five-year plan for Florida International football is working out quite well.

Taking over a program in 2007 that had gone winless the season before, Cristobal guided the Panthers to a share of the Sun Belt Conference championship last year and the school’s first bowl appearance.

These days, Florida International is the preseason choice of the conference’s coaches as the team to beat in 2011. The coaches’ poll and the preseason All-Conference teams were announced Monday to begin the New Orleans-based conference’s media days.

Troy, which has won or shared the title for the past five years, was picked second. Louisiana-Monroe and Middle Tennessee State tied for third, and Louisiana-Lafayette was picked eighth.

The Sun Belt champion plays in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Superdome.

“This validates a four-year body of work,” said Cristobal, whose 2010 team defeated Toledo 34-32 in the Little Caesar’s Bowl to cap last season. “That’s very rewarding, but at the same time it just whets our appetite and makes us hungrier for the tremendous opportunities ahead for this program.”

FIU returns 16 starters — six of them preseason All-Conference picks, including co-Offensive Player of the Year T.Y. Hilton at wide receiver and return specialist.

Among the other returning starters is sophomore defensive end Isame Faciane, a Salmen product whom Cristobal said is set for a breakout season.

“He’s going to be one of those special, special guys,” Cristobal said. “He’s up to 290 pounds and is a great young leader who has really gained the respect of his teammates.”

UL-Monroe had four all-conference picks, including senior defensive end Ken Dorsey, who began his prep career at John Curtis before his family relocated to Homewood, Ala., after Hurricane Katrina.

“We’re expecting a great season from him,” Warhawks Coach Todd Berry said. “Ken is a guy who never takes a snap off and always does things the way his coaches want it done.”

UL-Monroe returns the most starters in the conference — 19 — from a team that finished 5-7 and was a triple-overtime loss to Florida International and a one-point loss to UL-Lafayette in the season finale from sharing the conference title.

“We feel like we’re a program on the rise,” Berry said. “We only had nine starters back last year, and it showed on the field and in practice. Now we’ve got more depth and more experience. Talking doesn’t get it done, but we believe our actions will.”